About SOA
The School of Anaesthesia (SOA), 37 Military Hospital was established in 2004 to help address anaesthesia service challenges and to train Certified Registered Anaesthetists for competent anaesthesia, emergency and intensive care delivery.
Brief History
Anaesthesia services are essential to health care delivery. Anaesthetists support surgery by controlling pain, inducing temporary paralysis, maintaining positioning, and preserving body functions including cardiovascular, renal, respiratory and airway functions. Their work extends beyond the theatre to intensive care units, high dependency units, radiology suites, emergency departments, accident scenes, disasters and war situations.
Anaesthesia Training In Ghana
Training of Nurse Anaesthetists in Ghana started in 1996 at Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital in Kumasi. The 37 Military Hospital joined the training in 2004, followed by Ridge Hospital in Accra in 2009 and the University for Development Studies in Tamale in 2012. The profession was initially regulated by the Nurses and Midwives Council of Ghana. A ministerial directive in November 2010 mandated the Medical and Dental Council to regulate the training and practice of Physician Assistants, and the Health Professions Regulatory Bodies Act, 2013 (Act 857) made the Medical and Dental Council the statutory body for the profession. Physician Assistant (Anaesthesia) is now known in Ghana as Certified Registered Anaesthetist.
Establishment Of SOA
The School of Anaesthesia, 37 Military Hospital was set up in 2004 to help resolve anaesthesia service challenges in the hospital. It was developed with a defined vision, mission and core values to support specialist health professional training.
Vision
The vision of SOA, 37 Military Hospital is to be the best anaesthesia training institution in the sub-region, capable of competing with and affiliating to global medical institutions of excellence.
Mission
The mission of SOA is to promote high-quality training of health professionals who will provide competent anaesthesia, emergency and intensive care services locally and internationally.
Core Values
The core values of the School of Anaesthesia are vigilance, competence, professionalism, confidentiality and hard work.
- Vigilance
- Competence
- Professionalism
- Confidentiality
- Hard work
Mandate And Affiliations
The School of Anaesthesia, 37 Military Hospital is accredited by the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission and the Medical and Dental Council. The school is also affiliated to the University of Cape Coast.
- Train Certified Registered Anaesthetists.
- Provide specialist anaesthesia education for health professionals.
- Support competent emergency and intensive care service delivery.
Programme Offered
The school currently offers a two-year Bachelor of Science in Anaesthesia programme.
Award
- Bachelor of Science in Anaesthesia
- Awarded through the affiliate institution, University of Cape Coast
Training focus
- Anaesthesia practice
- Emergency care
- Intensive care services
- Pain management
- Critical care medicine
Courses Offered
The curriculum is delivered across Level 300 and Level 400 semesters. The source document repeated some semester lists; the profile below keeps the unique course blocks.
Year One Level 300 - Semester 1
- SOA 301R Applied Anatomy
- SOA 303R Applied Physiology I
- SOA 305R Applied Pharmacology I
- SOA 307R Clinical Biochemistry I
- SOA 309R Computer Applied Skills
- SOA 311R Principles and Practice of Anaesthesia I
- SOA 313R General Pathology
- SOA 315R Applied Physics and Equipment
- SOA 317R Practicum I
Year One Level 300 - Semester 2
- SOA 302R Applied Physiology II
- SOA 304R Applied Pharmacology II
- SOA 306R Clinical Biochemistry II
- SOA 308R Research Methods
- SOA 310R Principles and Practice of Anaesthesia II
- SOA 312R Medicine for Anaesthesia
- SOA 314R Pain Management
- SOA 318R Practicum II
Year Two Level 400 - Semester 1
- SOA 401R Critical Care Medicine I
- SOA 403R Specialised Anaesthesia I
- SOA 405R Biostatistics
- SOA 407R Behavioural Science in Anaesthesia
- SOA 409R Local and Regional Anaesthesia Techniques
- SOA 411R Principles and Practice of Anaesthesia III
- SOA 417R Practicum III
Year Two Level 400 - Semester 2
- SOA 402R Critical Care Medicine II
- SOA 404R Specialised Anaesthesia II
- SOA 408R Healthcare Ethics and Law
- SOA 410R Health Systems Management and Entrepreneurship
- SOA 418R Practicum IV
- SOA 499R Project Work
Certificate And Degree Awarded
The school awards the BSc Anaesthesia programme through its affiliate institution, the University of Cape Coast.
Qualification For Admission
Entry requirements depend on the applicant category and entry level.
Category I
- SSCE/WASSCE candidates start at Level 100 for a four-year programme.
- Applicants must have an aggregate score of 16 or better in six subjects, made up of three core subjects and three electives.
- Applicants must have a pure science background in Physics, Chemistry and Biology with a minimum grade of C6.
Category II
- Candidates in this category start at Level 300 for a two-year programme.
- Applicants must have a pure science background in Physics, Chemistry and Biology with a minimum grade of C6.
- Applicants must be Registered General Nurses, Degree Nurses or Physician Assistants (Medical) with at least two years of working experience.
Admission Procedure
Applicants use the school admissions portal process to obtain credentials, complete the application and submit printed copies to the school.
- Obtain an eVoucher containing a serial number and PIN for login.
- Use the Get Serial/PIN button on the login form to begin the process.
- Complete the pop-up form with the required details.
- Proceed to the payment platform.
- Select a payment option, such as MTN Mobile Money or Visa, and make payment.
- Receive the voucher details by email, SMS and display on the login page.
- Use the serial number and PIN to log in and follow the application instructions.
- After completing the process, print four copies of the completed application form.
- Submit the printed forms by post or in person to the Director, School of Anaesthesia, 37 Military Hospital, Accra.
Logo And Identity
The SOA logo supplied in the source document is used as the profile logo for the internal NDU college page.
Vigilance, competence, professionalism, confidentiality and hard work define the SOA training culture.
NDU